Cross-stacker



Dec. 30,1969 A. G. TUCCI CROSS-STACKER Filed July 20, 1967 4Sheets-Sheet 2 l-NVENTOR Dec. 30, 1969 Filed July 20, 1967 INVENTOR Antho n y G. Tucci United States Patent 3,486,425 CROSS-STACKER Anthony G.Tucci, 9602 103rd Ave., Ozone Park, N.Y. 11429 Filed July 20, 1967, Ser.No. 654,816 Int. Cl. B65h 31/00 US. Cl. 93-93 11 Claims ABSTRACT OF THEDISCLOSURE Apparatus for receiving and stacking a series of workpiecesdischarged from a conveyor belt, sewing machine or the like, featuring ahorizontal receiving surface with means for periodically changing theposition of the receiving surface with respect to workpieces deliveredthereto, so as to make an orderly stack of workpieces on the receivingsurface.

This invention relates to apparatus for receiving a series of workpiecesdischarged from a conveyor belt, sewing machine, or other apparatus, andstacking the same in orderly arrangement on a receiver. In particular,this invention relates to apparatus adapted to receive a succession ofcloth workpieces, or workpieces of similar limp, flexible material.

Many devices have been proposed for the purpose of receiving andstacking workpieces discharged from an apparatus performing oneoperation or another on such workpieces. For example, many devices havebeen proposed for stacking cardboard carton blanks discharged from thecutting machine, for receiving and stacking printed matter as it emergesfrom the printing machine, and for similar purposes.

In the handling of fabric workpieces, however, the problem is somewhatdifferent because of the nature of the fabric itself. Thus, machines ofthe type employed in the manufacture of cardboard carton blanksgenerally depend for their proper functioning on the stiffness of .thecardboard material. Similarly, machines designed to handle paperworkpieces such as printed matter also usually depend on the relativestiffness of the paper which, although much less than that of cardboard,is nevertheless appreciable in an edgewise direction. Such machinescannot be successfully employed in connection with a comparatively limpmaterial such as cloth.

In my Patent No. 3,113,771, issued Dec. 10, 1963, entitled AutomaticPickup for Stacking Material, there is described and claimed anapparatus comprising a reciprocating receiving platform adapted toreceive workpieces discharged from a conveyor belt or the like, and formof such workpieces a uniform stack, with the successive workpieces laidfiat one atop the other.

The apparatus described and claimed in my said patent is highlyeffective in stacking workpieces of appreciable width, such as jacketpanels, sleeve blanks, skirt blanks, and the like, for subsequentassembly into finished garments, Where the workpieces being received andstacked are small, and particularly where they are long and narrow,such, for example, as belts, collars, skirt bands or the like, there isa tendency for the stack of workpieces to topple over sideways unlesspains are taken to keep it from growing too high. One way of overcomingthis tendency, also taught in my said patent, is to provide thereceiving table with adjustable guide rails which can be moved inwardlytoward the center of the table, so as to support the stack on eitherside, and thus prevent it from toppling over. Although this arrangementis quite effective, it is sometimes desirable that the stacks beself-supporting, rather than being provided with means for supportingthem externally.

Patented Dec; 30, 1969 "ice An object of the present invention,therefore, is to provide an improved apparatus for receiving andstacking a series of pieces of cloth or similar material.

Another object is to provide an apparatus for receiving and stackingsuch materials, which is particularly adapted to the receiving andstacking of small or long and narrow workpieces.

Still another object is to provide apparatus of the type described,which is capable of forming self-supporting stacks from small, or longand narrow workpieces.

A feature of the present invention is the use of a pivotally-mountedreceiving surface Which is capable of at least some degree of rotationin a horizontal plane.

Another feature of the present invention lies in the use of means forsynchronizing the horizontal rotational movement of said receivingsurface with the discharge of individual workpieces onto said surface.

Another feature is the combination of a horizontallyrotatable receivingsurface with a horizontally-reciprocating undercarriage.

Yet another feature of the invention is the employment of means forcorrelating the horizontal rotational movement of said receiving surfacewith horizontal reciprocating movement of said undercarriage in themanner hereinafter to be more fully described.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention willbecome apparent from the following more complete description and claims.

The invention consists in the form, arrangement and selection of partsas more fully described hereinafter, and with reference to the drawings,in which parts appearing in more than one drawing have been given thesame reference numeral throughout.

In one particularly desirable embodiment, this invention contemplates anapparatus for receiving and stacking a succession of workpieces, saidapparatus comprising in combination a generally horizontal receivingsurface, means for periodically altering the position of said receivingsurface with respect to workpieces delivered thereto and therebyaltering the position on said receiving surface in which said workpiecesare delivered, and means for disabling said means for altering theposition of said receiving surface when a workpiece is in the process ofbeing deposited on said surface.

Referring now to the figures:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of a device according to a preferredembodiment of the invention, namely a combined cross-stacker andsquare-stacker.

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the underside of the device of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view showing the apparatus of this inventionmounted on a reciprocating pickup carriage and set up to receive andstack workpieces discharged from a conveyor belt.

FIGURE 4 is a top view of a crank assembly useful in another embodimentof the invention.

FIGURE 5 is a front elevation of the crank assembly shown in FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 6 is a somewhat diagrammatic top view of an apparatus accordingto the invention, using the crank assembly of FIGURES 4 and 5.

FIGURE 7 is a top view similar to FIGURE 6, showing the apparatus ofFIGURE 6 at a different stage of operation.

FIGURE 8 is a somewhat diagrammatic top view, similar to FIGURE 6,showing another embodiment of apparatus according to the invention,using a crank assembly of the type shown in FIGURES 4 and 5.

FIGURE 9 is a top view similar to FIGURE 8, showing the apparatus ofFIGURE 8 at a different stage of operation.

Referring more particularly to FIGURE 1, the receiving surface is a flatsurface of plywood, sheet metal, or any appropriate material, preferablyof lightweight construction. On the underside of receiving surface 10 isa square boss 12, designed to fit into a mating recess 14 in collar 16.Collar 16 projects through a suitable aperture in a supporting surface18, in the form of a table or the like. For purposes of clarity, thereceiving surface 10 is shown as being spaced slightly above thesupporting surface 18. In the practical construction of the machine, thereceiving surface 10 may rest directly on supporting surface 18,preferably with a thin layer of grease or other lubricant between them,or they may be separated as shown, with ball bearings or the like (notshown) in the space between them. In another variation, the weight ofthe receiving surface and its load may be supported entirely throughboss 12 which, in this case, rests on a floor or shoulder (not shown) incollar 16. When the weight is supported in this way, supporting surface18 may be dispensed with altogether, if desired.

Collar 16 is connected to operating lever 20. The other end of lever 20is pivotally connected at pivot 22 to push rod 24. Push rod 24, in turn,is pivotally connected at its other end, by way of pivot 26, to one endof rotating rod 28.

Rotating rod 28 is driven in any suitable controllable manner, as byshaft 30 driven by motor 32.

As the apparatus has so far been described, it will be apparent that asmotor 32, operating through shaft 30, rotates rotating rod 28, itimparts a reciprocating motion to push rod 24, which in turn causesoperating rod 20 to alternate between the positions shown in solid anddotted outline, respectively, in FIGURE 2. The operating lever causes acorresponding angular change in the position of collar 16, recess 14,boss 12, and receiving surface 10.

Surrounding shaft 30, and mounted to rotate freely thereon, is switchdisc 34. Switch disc 34 is in the nature of a generally circular cam.The purpose of switch disc 34 and its associated components is toprovide a cycling mechanism to control the movements of receivingsurface 10, and in particular to ensure that the position of thereceiver will be changed only during periods when no workpiece is beingdeposited thereon. Protruding upwardly from switch disc 34 is a boss 36projecting into the path of rotating rod 28. As rotating rod 28 rotates,it pushes boss 36 before it, thus rotating switch disc 24, until thedisc reaches approximately the position shown in the drawings. At thispoint one of two identical cam lobes 38, extending radially outward ofthe generally circular profile of the switch disc, actuates cam follower40, thereby opening normally-closed switch 42.

Switch 42, by means of suitable electrical connections (not shown), isconnected in series with the current supply to motor 32. The result ofthe arrangement, therefore, is to interrupt the motion of rotating rod28, push rod 2 4, and ultimately the angular motion of receiving surface10, whenever switch disc 34 comes around to the position shown (or theequivalent position 180 away).

This situation persists, and the parts remain stationary relative to oneanother, until solenoid 44 comes into play. Solenoid 44 is preferablyone of the type wherein the core is retracted against a spring bias whenthe magnetic coil is energized, and is fired or partially ejected fromthe core by the action of the spring, for example spring 46, when thecoil is deenergized. Solenoid 44 is connected by suitable electricalconnection (not shown) to a sensing device (also not shown in this view)adapted to signal the presence or absence of a workpiece approaching thereceiving surface. Such arangements are known to the art, having beentaught, for example, in my US. Patent No. 3,113,771, issued Dec. 10,1963, wherein the sensing device is a photoelectric element associatedwith a light source in such a position that the light directed from thelight source to the photoelectric element is interrupted by a workpieceas it passes between them on the way to the receiving surface. Thus, inthe present apparatus, when a workpiece is approaching the receiver, thelight beam for example from lamp 98 to photocell (FIG. 3) is interruptedand current to the solenoid coil is interrupted, whereupon the solenoidfires.

Associated with solenoid 44 is a rod 48, connected at one end to thesolenoid core and at the other to spring 46. A lug 50 projects laterallyoutward from rod 48, in position such that when the solenoid fires, lug50 strikes the shoulder of adjacent cam lobe 38, causing a slightadditional rotation of switch disc 34, sufficient to move the other camlobe 38 out from under cam follower 40 and close switch 42. Thisreactivates the power supply to motor 32, and the cycle repeats.

Suitable precautions should be taken to prevent lug 50 and the secondcam lobe 38 from jamming as the cam lobe comes around to the indicatedposition, while lug 50 is still in the position indicated by dottedlines. This may be accomplished in a variety of ways, for example byproviding a solenoid mount flexible enough to allow the lug to betemporarily pushed out of the way by the cam lobe, or by pivoting thelug to the solenoid shaft, so as to allow it to be swung downwardlyagainst a suitable spring bias or the like, by the cam lobe as itpasses. These and various other arrangements will be obvious to thoseskilled in the art.

As will be apparent from the foregoing description, the action of theapparatus as so far described is as follows: Starting from a position ofrest as illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 2, when a workpiece beginsapproaching the receiving surface, it activates the sensing means, andsolenoid 44 is cocked in response to the sensing means, against the biasof spring 46. All the other parts remain stationary relative to oneanother, in the positions shown.

As the trailing edge of the workpiece passes the sensing means, thesensing means so signals by interrupting the current to the coil ofsolenoid 44, so that the solenoid fires in response to the stored energyin spring 46, causing lug 50 to move to the position shown in dottedoutline in FIGURE 2. This, in turn, drops cam follower 40 off theshoulder of the cam, closing switch 42 and reestablishing the currentsupply to motor 32. The motor rotates the rotating rod 28 through atwhich time push rod 24 and operating lever 20 are in the respectivepositions shown in dashed lines (FIGURE 2), and switch 42 is againopened by the other cam lobe 38. As the leading end of the nextworkpiece passes the sensing means, solenoid 44 is again cocked, and asthe trailing edge passes, solenoid 44 is again fired, initiating another180 movement of the rotating rod, which returns the apparatus to thecondition originally illustrated.

The result of the actions just described is that, as workpieces aredeposited on the receiving surface, the latter alternates between twoangular positions. This in turn, results in the formation of an X-shapedstack, when the workpieces are long, narrow ones, instead of thestraight-sided, narrow, unstable stack that would be produced withoutsuch angular alternation.

SQUARE STACKING In some instances, for example where the workpiecesbeing processed are not only narrow relative to their length, but alsorelatively short, it is desirable to form a square stack, wherein thestack is formed by a succession of workpieces alternately laid down soas to form the four sides of a square. The device of this invention, asillustrated in FIGURES 1 and 2, also provides for stacking workpieces inthis manner, if so desired.

According to this aspect of the invention, push-rod 24 is pivotallyconnected, as at 22, to a pair of operating rods 52, 54, which in turnare pivotally connected as at 56, 58, respectively to operating levers60, 62. Operating levers 60 and 62 are integral extensions,respectively, of

collars 64 and 66. Collars 64 and 66 surround a hollow shaft 68, whichhas an internal recess 70 of square or other non-circular cross-section.Collars 64 and 66 are mounted for free rotation in either directionaround hollow shaft 68.

Integrally attached to shaft 68 is a notched disc 72, having fourindentations, or notches 74.

Each of operating levers 60 and 62 has attached there to a pawl, 76 and78, respectively, positioned to be received in notches 74.

The operation of the square stacker is very similar to that previouslydescribed for cross-stacking. The receiving surface is lifted up so asto remove boss 12 from recess 14 in collar 16', and placed over hollowshaft 68, so that boss 12 fits into recess 70. Starting from theposition of rest as illustrated in FIGURE 1 and in solid lines in FIGURE2, the various parts remain in their relative positions until thesensing device signals the approach of a workpiece, as previouslydescribed in connection with the cross-stacking operation. When thesensing device signals the approach of a workpiece (i.e., when theleading edge of the workpiece interrupts the light to the photoelectricelement, for example), solenoid 44 is energized and is cocked againstthe bias of spring 46. As the trailing edge of the same workpiece clearsthe sensing device, the coil of the solenoid is de-energized and thesolenoid fires, advancing switch disc 34 and closing switch 42, thusstarting the motor 32. Motor 32 runs long enough to rotate rotating rod28 through 180, and then is stopped by the action of one of cam lobes 38which opensnormally-closed switch 42, as previously described. Duringthis travel, push rod 24 and operating rods 52 and 54 have advanced tothe positions shown in dashed lines in FIG- URE 2. In the process, pawl76, on operating lever 60, has advanced notched disc 72 through 90.Meanwhile, Pawl 78,-on operating lever 62, has moved to the positionshown in dashed lines (FIGURE 2) out of its original notch 74 and intothe next notch 74. The parts then maintain their relative positionsuntil solenoid 44 is cocked by the sensing device in response to theleadingv edge of the next workpiece, and fired in response to thepassage of the trailing edge of the same workpiece. When this happens,motor 32 is again energized, and moves rotating rod 28 through 180.This, in the manner already described, moves push rod 24, operating rods52 and'54, and operating levers 60 and 62 back to the positions shown insolid lines in FIGURE 2. As they so move, pawl 78 on operating lever 62,rotates notched disc 72 another 90 in the same direction as before(counter-clockwise, as

seen from below in FIGURE 2). Meanwhile, pawl 76 lifts out of the notchin which it has been engaged, and moves in the opposite direction(clockwise, as seen in FIGURE 2) into the next succeeding notch 74.Thus, each 180 rotation of the rotating rod 28 produces a 90 rotation inpotched disc 72, and consequently in shaft 68 and recess 70, and hencein the position of receiving surface 10. The result is that receivingsurface 10 advances by an angular increment of 90 between each workpieceand its successor, resulting in a stack of workpieces having the form ofa hollow square.

In order to achieve the results just described, the center of recess 14,for cross-stacking, should be lined up with the center line of thedischarge of workpieces onto receiving surface 10, or at leastapproximately so. The center of recess 70, on the other hand, should belocated off the center line of the discharge by'an amount approximatelyequal to one-half the width of the square stack to be produced.

The apparatus of this invention is designed to be used in conjunctionwith an automatic pickup of the type described and claimed in myaforesaid U.S. Patent No. 3,113,771, as illustrated generally in FIGURE3, or in conjunction with a similar pickup apparatus. The automaticpickup is designed to receive workpieces being discharged longitudinallyoff a conveyor belt or the like,

in such a way that the workpiece are laid out flat on the receiver,rather than being piled up in a random heap over a single stationarypoint on the receiver. The apparatus of the present invention is readilyadded to or built into such a receiver, and provides means for handlinglong and narrow (or short and narrow) workpieces in a more eflicientmanner than is possible using only the automatic pickup as disclosed inmy aforesaid patent.

As shown in FIGURE 3, supporting surface 18 is mounted above areciprocating carriage indicated generally by the numeral 80. Thiscarriage is arranged to travel back and forth under the discharge pointof the belt in the general direction of belt travel, and is preferablycontrolled as to speed in such manner that, during those portions ofthe'cycle when a workpiece is being deposited on the receiver, thelinear speed of the receiver is substantially equal to the linear speedof the workpiece being discharged onto it. This may be accomplished inthe manner disclosed in my aforesaid patent, or in any other convenientmanner.

As thei carriage reciprocates in the direction of belt traveland at thespeed thereof (thus depositing each workpiece in fiat disposition on thereceiver), the receiving surface 10, in the manner already described,rotates horizontally in angular increments, so that each successiveworkpiece is deposited at an angle to the one preceding it, thus forminga cross-stack or a square stack, as the casemay be.

-In some cases, it may be desired to have the receiving surface changeits horizontal angular position not after each workpiece is deposited,but rather after the deposition of some predetermined number ofworkpieces in excess of one. For example, it may be desired to depositlapel pieces in the form of a cross-stack of pairs of maching piecesi.e. two matching pieces laid one way, followed by two the other way.This is readily accomplished by interposing a conventional countingswitch (not shown) in the circuit in series with the leads to the coilof solenoid 44, so that the solenoid is fired only after two, three, orany predetermined number of pulses from the photocell.

Obviously, if only square stacking is desired, the machine may beconstructed more cheaply by omitting collar 16, operating lever 20, andassociated parts. By the same token, if only cross-stacking is desired,operating rods 52 and 54, operating levers 60 and 62, collars 64 and 66,hollow shaft 68, and associated parts may be omitted. Also, if desired,separate motors may be provided for the cross-stacking andsquare-stacking operations, thus eliminating some of the linkagesrequired when using the same motor for both operations. On the otherhand, by using suitable clutches or other forms of power takeoff, asingle motor can be used not only for changing the position of thereceiving surface for square stacking and cross-stacking, but also asthe main drive motor for carriage 80, as will be apparent to thoseskilled in the art. In the preferred form of the invention, however, allthe illustrated and described parts are included. This preferred form ofmachine is much more flexible and versatile, as it may be converted froma square stacker to a cross-stacker, of vice-versa, merely by liftingboss 12 out of one recess and dropping it into another.

In some operations, it is desirable to provide for translational, ratherthan a rotational displacement of the receiving surface between thedeposition thereon of successive workpieces. Examples of this type ofoperation include those operations in which there is provided arighthand and a corresponding left-hand piece for each garmentforexample lapel fronts and the like. In such cases, it is desirable toarrange the right-hand pieces, in one stack and the left-hand pieces ina separate stack alongside the first stack, but not overlapping orintermeshing with the first stack, as in the operations described above.This type of stacking may be accomplished according to the invention byusing the embodiments of the invention illustrated in FIGURES 4-9.

FIGURES 4 and 5 illustrate a crank assembly useful in converting therotational or angular motions produced as described above, intotranslational motions. The crank assembly comprises a block 81 having asquare cross-section in the horizontal plane, adapted to be received inrecess 14 or recess 70 (FIG. 2). A crank arm 82 passes through asuitable channel provided in the upper portion of block 81, and isadapted to be locked in any desired position by set screw 84, thusproviding for an adjustment of the effective length of crank arm 82.This adjustable length feature is not essential, but is desirable inthat it provides a convenient means of adjusting the extent oftranslational motion and consequently, the distance between the twostacks.

At the end of crank arm 82 is a boss or the like 86, constituting meansfor engaging the receiving surface in a manner dependent on theoperation to be performed, as described below.

FIGURE 6 shows a plan view of supporting surface 18, equipped with meansfor translating receiving surface 10 from side to side, to form twoparallel stacks of workpieces.

Supporting surface 18 is provided with means for causing it toreciprocate in the general direction of delivery of the workpieces, asindicated by the double-headed arrow. Such means (not shown), as notedabove, may take the form of a reciprocating carriage such as that setforth in my aforesaid patent, or any equivalent means.

Block 81 of the crank assembly is dropped into recess 14 of collar 16(not visible in this view), and receiving surface 10* differs fromreceiving surface 10 (FIGS. 1 and 3) in two respects: it is providedwith means in the form of depending flanges 88 for preventing rotationalmotional of receiving surface 10 with respect to supporting surface 18,and with means such as depending flanges 90 defining a channel on theunderside of receiving surface 10*, adapted to receive boss 86 on crankarm 82. Suitable support members such as casters or the like (not shown)may be interposed between supporting surface 18 and the underside ofreceiving surface 10 as will be obvious to those skilled in the art,these being omitted from the drawings in the interest of clarity.

As collar 16 alternates between two positions, as described above withreference to the cross-stacking operation, it causes the crank assemblyto move correspondingly, from the position shown in FIGURE 6 to thatshown in FIGURE 7 and back again, as indicated by the curved arrows. Asit does so boss 86, bearing against the depending flanges 90, causes thereceiving surface 10 to move from side to side, between the positionsshown respectively in FIGURES 6 and 7. It will be recalled that themovement of collar 16, and resulting transverse motion of receivingsurface 10 occur only when no workpiee is approaching the receiver,whereas the longitudinal motion indicated by the double-headed arrowstakes place only when a workpiece is approaching the receiver. Theresult of this combination of movements is the workpieces are laid outflat on receiving surface 10 in the form of two parallel stacks, onealongside the other.

Another embodiment of the invention, shown in FIG- URES 8 and 9, isadapted to achieve the same result as that shown in FIGURES 6 and 7, butuses as the receptacle for block 81 of the crank assembly, a collar (notshown) having an appropriate recess for the reception of block 81, anddriven to rotate 180 on each cycle. Such rotation can be achieved verysimply by mounting the collar (similar to collar 16) directy over andconnected to switch disc 34 (FIG. 2) which rotates 180 on each cycle, aspreviously described. Receiving surface 10 is similar to receivingsurface 10 of FIGURES 6 and 7, but lacks channel-forming flanges 90 andis provided instead with a link 92 pivotally connected to the undersideof receiving surface 10 as at 94 and adapted to be pivotally connectedto boss 86 as at 96.

As the crank assembly rotates, indicated by the curved arrows, receivingsurface 10 is drawn by link 92 from the position shown in FIGURE 8,where it extends beyond one side of the supporting surface, to thatshown in FIG- URE 9, where it lies substantially directly oversupporting surface 18, and back again, again resulting in the formationof a pair of parallel stacks of workpieces.

The operation of the reciprocating carriage having been fully describedin any aforesaid Patent No. 3,113,771, it is not described at lengthherein. It may be noted, however, that as setfforth therein, the sensingmeans, such as light source 98 and photocell 100 (FIG. 3) may be wiredin parallel, or may be duplicated, using two photocells in tandem, so asto provide both (a) the means for enabling the reciprocating drive ofthe carriage when a workpiece is approaching and disabling it when aworkpiece is not approaching (as more fully set forth in said patent),and (b) the means for enabling the positionchanging means when aworkpiece is not approaching and disabling it when a workpiece isapproaching, as described above herein.

While this invention has been described with reference to certainpreferred embodiments and illustrated by way of certain drawings, theseare illustrative only, as many alternatives and equivalents will readilyoccur to those skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit orproper scope of the invention. The invention is therefore not to beconstrued as limited, except as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for receiving and stacking a succession of workpieces, saidapparatus comprising in combination a generally horizontal,horizontally-reciprocating receiving surface, and means for periodicallyaltering the position of said horizontally-reciprocating receivingsurface with respect to workpieces delivered thereto and therebyaltering the position on said receiving surface in which said workpiecesare delivered.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means fordisabling said menas for altering the position of said receiving surfacewhen a workpiece is in the process of being deposited on said surface.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said disabling meanscomprises photosensitive means for detecting the presence of a workpieceapproaching said surface.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising drive means forimparting to said receiving surface a generally horizontal translationalmotion approximating the direction and velocity of an approachingworkpiece.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said means for periodicallyaltering the position of said receiving surface comprises means forhorizontally rotating said receiving surface through a portion of acircle.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said means for periodicallyaltering the position of said receiving surface comprises means forimparting a transverse horizontal translational motion to said receivingsurface.

7. Apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising counter means fordisabling said means for rotating said receiving surface, after eachoperation thereof, until a predetermined number of workpieces has beendeposited on said receiving surface.

8. Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said means for rotating saidreceiving surface is effective to alternate said receiving surfacebetween two predetermined angular positions.

9. Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said means for rotating saidreceiving surface is effective to advance said receiving surfacesequentially in increments of substantially through a series of completerotations in a horizontal plane.

10. Apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said means for impartingtranslational motion to said receiving surface is effective to move saidreceiving surface alternately between two parallel positions spacedtransversely of the direction of delivery of workpieces to saidreceiving surface.

11. Apparatus for receiving and stacking a succession of workpiecescomprising in combination a generally horizontal receiving surface,means for imparting to said receiving surface a first motion, said firstmotion being a horizontal translational motion approximating thevelocity and direction of workpieces delivered to said receivingsurface, means for imparting to said receiving surface a second motioneffective to alter the position on said receiving surface to which saidworkpieces are delivered, means for enabling said means for impartingsaid first motion and disabling said means for imparting said secondmotion at times when a workpiece is being delivered to said receivingsurface, and means for enabling said means for imparting said secondmotion and disabling said means for imparting said first motion at timeswhen a workpiece is not being delivered to said receiving surface.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,883,074 4/1959 Buehl et a1.3,113,771 12/1963 Tucci 270-61 BERNARD STICKNEY, Primary Examiner US.Cl. X.R.

